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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 82 (2013) 599 603

World Conference on Psychology and Sociology 2012

Participation and Learning in a Jenaplan School in the

Netherlands: An Ethnographic Research with Children
Sissi Azevedo a *, Fernando b

a
Research Centre on Child Studies - University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
b
University of Minho- Institute of Education, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

Abstract

This paper presents an ethnographic case study carried out in a Dutch Jenaplan primary school and it focuses on two
dimensions: the conditions created by teachers which could favour or inhibit the participative and autonomous action of
children, and the way children act, interpret and learn in those conditions. The analysis of the empirical data provided a
comprehension about chi

provided significant material for the research through their inner perspectives.

2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer review under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Kobus Maree, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Selection and peer review under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Kobus Maree, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Keywords: Children, School, Participation, Etnographic Research;

1. Introduction

The existing research concerning children education is predominantly focused on teachers and the ways they
teach. Other perspectives have emerged during the last decades, namely through Child Studies and particularly
Childhood Sociology, which conceive children as social actors and emphasize their active and competent role in
the learning process, valuing the daily experience and the principles of participation and autonomy. Considering
these perspectives, this paper presents a research carried out in a Dutch primary school whose Jenaplan
pedagogical principles are dialogue, play, work and celebration. The way children act at school and participate in
their learning process demonstrates the special importance of ctives. It could represent a

& Wenger, 1991).

*
Corresponding author: Sissi Azevedo. Tel.: +351-253601204
E-mail address: sissi.azevedo@gmail.com

1877-0428 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer review under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Kobus Maree, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.316
600 Sissi Azevedo and Fernando Ildio Ferreira / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 82 (2013) 599 603

2.

The traditional model of teaching all as one is still rooted in the pedagogical action of teachers due to the

Children were mostly seen in their specific role of student, considered an immature being who needed to be
educated by school and socialized by adults for his/her tough entry to society (Sirota, 2012). However, there are
models, principles, values and techniques developed by educators such as Montessori, Parkhurst, Petersen or
Freinet, who were influenced by others, namely Dewey, Froebel, Pestalozzi, that had focused on the importance

perspective of agency, that understands children as social actors, is being claimed among the academic and social
, & Prout,
1998; Corsaro, 2004), in which children are seen as rational, competent and self-controlled beings (King, 2007).

to make decisions in the contexts that influences their lives, school included (Alderson, 2000). Recently, the
educational systems have abundantly adopted terms such as participation, autonomy and success but the
complexity of the nature, levels and forms of participation are issues pointed out in many critical perspectives
(Hart, 1992; Shier, 2001) that need to be studied taking into consideration the particularities of the contexts and
the involvement of the social actors (Christensen & James, 2000). Nonetheless, the topic of participation is not
ctions and competences; family, cultural, economic and political
contexts, without ignoring the power relations which cross the social structures and influence the concrete
possibilities of participation.

A collaborative and participative research with children

3.1. The method and its techniques

Due to the vision and recognition of children as active citizens, participatory research with children has been
s (Christensen & James, 2000; Corsaro &

epistemological and political aspects that support it (Holland, Renold, Ross, & Hillman, 2010). Positioning in the
sense of the
undertaken an ethnographical case study in a Dutch Jenaplan primary school where children had a crucial role in
gathering data and in its further interpretation. In order to get the

aiming to i) understand how the pedagogical model adopted by the school the Jenaplan Pedagogy takes into

ects of school time,

The research was based on an interpretative paradigm and in qualitative methodologies, involving participant
observation, interviews, visual materials and document analysis (Alderson, 2000; Clark & Moss, 2001; Willow et

posters and the visual materials made by children (photos and drawings) were considered essential data that
allowed an accurate interpretation. Many techniques and methods to collect the data were made with the children
so they were able to participate in the construction of the instruments needed for the research. Visual research
techniques were fundamental taking into consideration that the researcher was unable to understand the

the way they live their lives in a

genuine manner.
 SSissi Azevedo and Fernando Ildio Ferreira / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 82 (2013) 599 603 601

3.2.

In order to involve the children in the research, they were invited to take photos and to make drawings

etc, which were fulfilled

through photos or drawings made with pastel, crayons, aquarelle or others according to the ts.
with

during periods of an hour and the production of photos was carried out during a week, when children captured
images all day related to the suggested activity. Other activities were developed with older children, such as a
focus- each
material, amiable conversations with children took place to understand the meanings and the representations of
the drawings they made and the photos they took. With the help of a school teacher, the researcher tried to
understand the reasons and meanings for certain elements chosen by the children, such as people, places, objects
and kind of activities. Circle questions were asked to those who might had given answers about relationships,
time, space and mater

4.

The way children act and learn at school is truly related with the conditions prepared by their teachers. Firstly,
it was noticed the importance of the school model - the Jenaplan pedagogy and the thoughts, values, beliefs and
experience of the teachers which are linked to the Jenaplan pedagogical principles. The main features of the
Jenaplan Education will be clarified in the following section and furthermore its relation with the practical daily
aspects on the school where the research was developed.

4.1.The Jenaplan pedagogy

The Jenaplan pedagogy emerged in the German University of Jena though the hands of Professor Peter

the New Education Fellowship which some progressive educators were inspired by more progressive ideas,
namely by Dew
philosophical conception is comprehended as a community based on the humanism, conviviality and cooperation
levels but in family-
of the home environment where there are children who are the youngsters, the middles and the oldest ones who
the family and

in a society orientated by democratic values through experimentation, collaboration and interaction between
children and adults inside and outside school. It consists of eight areas of knowledge where the academic skills
and social and moral aspects are developed in an integrated way, not necessarily separated by subjects or specific
schedules although some skills, namely language and mathematics could be developed in lessons of homogenous

space, materials, schedule (rhythm in which the four basic activities are integrated), the pedagogic situations and
activities.
602 Sissi Azevedo and Fernando Ildio Ferreira / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 82 (2013) 599 603

4.2. School conditions

The school observed is organized by teachers with the collaboration of parents and children according to the
main principles of Jenaplan s education which includes the physical and the pedagogical environment. Thus,

teachers to learn and to promote good

where the basic Jenaplan activities (dialogue, play, work and celebration)
the

man
work and free play inside school and rooms; and celebration at the beginning of the week with the whole school,
in special occasions of children and common parties and other social occasions.
the younger age groups there is a daily rhythmic work plan that is set by cards with pictures of the different

three tasks per week related to the project that is running in which they can choose the days they will do each task
for the purposes of helping them to start managing their work and time. In the middle and the older age groups,

Concerning this point, every day children work in a project that can be within the scope of school, group or
individuals projects and where most of the subjects and skills development are integrated and in which attempts
tion among them. There are also other strategies and techniques
used by teachers to help children self-regulate which needs to be properly explained in another space.
classrooms and it is

and collaboration development among others. The corridors are large, furnished with materials and corners for
and play and act as an extension of the classrooms, facilitated also by the glass walls of each
room. Children play outside most of the time with natural materials and others provided by the school, and also

with their colleagues and also to be responsible for taking care of the school environment, such as on the
organization and management of the space and materials. Besides, they are responsible for helping other
colleagues from other groups in certain moments of work, for instance to help the youngest children in reading
and in Maths exercises.
The importance of these conditions were described and shown through their narratives, drawings and photos

also by expressing their feelings and to contribute on the discussion of the subjects and the important aspects for
and in the group, n
at school. The presence of democratic techniques like the practice of assembly and voting about what things
should be changed at school, was observed in the oldest age groups and its inner activities, such as to present and
to discuss ideas, to form parties, to vote and to discuss the changes with the school director. These procedures
were pointed out by children as to its importance of having a voice inside school. During the activities with the
researcher, many children had recognized and valued their power and action at school, mainly the oldest children
and those who came from other schools. However, generally children have conscious of these

for its consciousness of the dynamics, roles and power relations that exists on school and involves them. The
exercises of gathering data, discussing and thinking with the researcher had brought a dialogical reflexivity both
to children and to the researcher.
 SSissi Azevedo and Fernando Ildio Ferreira / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 82 (2013) 599 603 603

5. Conclusions

share the
main principles of the Jenaplan education and that are implemented through the conception of structured
environments composed of spaces, materials, time, social interactions and ways of learning, that favour
ersonal relationships (Azevedo, 2011). The study of this school
allowed understanding the experience, interact with others and with materials. It was
noticed room as a space of conviviality and recreation aside autonomous and cooperative work.

school, taking into account the conditions prepared by teachers with the cooperation of children and their parents,
promoting a democratic environment. On the other hand, the research demonstrates the importance of the

understand, select and reveal important information. In fact, ethnography at school, especially in collaboration
with children, can be very useful to comprehend the dynamics and meanings of children and teachers
perspectives to improve their conditions in order to develop a truly pedagogical and social environment.

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